28 times better then some Hollywood horror films

Rating: 8/10 (23 January 2005)

Ah, zombie horror films. When I think about watching movies like the Dawn of the Dead or Resident Evil, I think of taking off my brain and leaving it in a big mason jar in the refrigerator for a few hours. I won't need them where I'm going. Let's face it. Zombie films aren't exactly fine cinema. But with 28 Days Later, that seemed to change.
Our main character, Jim, wakes up in a hospital in London with no one in it. Matter of fact, when he walks outside he can't see anyone for miles. Coming out of a coma, he's a bit out of it, but soon encounters infected people that chase him, looking to eat him. Eventually he meets up with survivors from this outbreak, and learns that he should never come into contact with any fluid from an infected person (monster?), lest he too wind up like them.
Rather then going towards the Dawn of the Dead type of zombie, it instead places a more real-feeling 'Rage' virus that is deadly. These people are still alive... but not really. They may as well be dead. They think only of anger, of killing and eating.
And if Danny Boyle left it at that, it would be like any other Zombie movie. But he didn't. Like Trainspotting, he can take a very ordinary premise and make it franticly artistic. Feelings of despair and sadness, and the very real fear of dying are conveyed through our characters in good form, making them more believable.
With a low budget, mostly unknown cast, and no special effects to speak of, 28 days successfully pulls off what could be one of the best zombie/biohazard virus type of horror film. It's well acted, and that's not supposed to happen in a movie like this.
It becomes more relevant on the film's last half as to the message that is being sent: "Who is more dangerous, the zombies, or the humans?" A question brought up by Day of the Dead, though it is laid out much better here.
Still, the movie may be a bit preachy for some, and those that do not like horror or violent images shouldn't even be anywhere near this sentence. But if you like your horror well brewed with a large portion of thought processes, then 28 Days Later won't disappoint.
8 out of 10, 'cause IMDb won't let me put 8.5